Williams is one of the positive surprises of the pre-season and is also performing strongly in Melbourne – team principal James Vowles cites simple reasons for this
With second place in the first Friday training session in Melbourne, Williams newcomer Carlos Sainz got people’s attention on the first day of the new Formula 1 season. Teammate Alex Albon, in sixth place, confirmed the good form of the traditional team from Grove, which had already attracted attention with fast times during the test drives in Bahrain.
In the second session, the Williams drivers did not get beyond eleventh and twelfth place due to their program, but it has not escaped the notice of a few observers that James Vowles’ team has positioned itself as the favorite to take the lead among the midfield teams – a huge leap considering that Williams only finished the previous season in ninth place, second to last.
But if it was up to the team manager, that was also due to the fact that the team’s performance was well below its own potential. Vowles spoke of “low-hanging fruit” in this context on Friday, in other words, the first gains are not as difficult for Williams as one might think, according to Vowles’ opinion, a lot of potential has simply been left untapped on the table so far.
Williams is losing weight: “Where we expected it”
With relatively simple but effective optimizations to the vehicle and the processes in the factory, a new level of performance has been achieved – after Williams, according to Vowles, had recently suffered “great pain” and a “difficult phase”. But that is now over. Meanwhile, a positive spirit has taken hold in the halls in Grove, where, according to Vowles, “groundbreaking developments” are currently taking place “that will only fully come to fruition in the years to come”.
In other words, there is more to come from Williams. A positive snapshot, such as the strong practice performance in Melbourne, is therefore “nice to see”, but the team principal prefers to look at the big picture and the future. To make sure it’s going in the right direction, the team has, for example, slimmed down the new FW47: while last year’s model was still well above the minimum weight of 800 kg at the start of the season, this year they are starting at the lower limit.
According to the projections, this alone will give Williams a full half a second. Vowles is pleased that the car is more agile for the drivers: “Overall, the car is where we expected it to be,” especially in terms of driving feel, explains the team principal: “The FW47 gives our drivers significantly more confidence than its predecessor.”
Vowles: “Already 15 years behind”
According to Vowles, there is no golden recipe in the complex world of Formula 1, and there is certainly no shortcut. Rather, progress consists of “many interlocking improvements”. For example, Williams has switched to a pushrod rear suspension for 2025 that harmonizes with the Mercedes engine and transmission unit. This doesn’t directly improve lap times, but it does have many more far-reaching advantages:
“In recent years, we have significantly improved our development tools and simulation systems in terms of driving dynamics, aerodynamics and overall vehicle integration,” explains Vowles, who now sees a team “that is working more and more together”.
However, compared to the big players in the sport, above all Aston Martin, which has just invested heavily in its mega-factory and a new wind tunnel, Williams has comparatively limited resources. But Vowles remains calm on this point: “We already fell behind 15 years ago, so this discussion is not new. But we are investing, just as Aston Martin and McLaren have invested in recent years.”
The goal for his team is clear: “To gradually reduce the gap and shape a new future for the team.” Looking at the early signs of the 2025 season opener, Vowles has so far done a pretty good job of this with his simple tweaks: “We are using our resources efficiently,” says the Briton, not without pride – and is convinced: “We are already on the path to change.”
